Image processing method and scanning system using the same

ABSTRACT

A scanning system comprises a scanning device and a computing device. The scanning device scans an object to produce an original image, wherein the original image contains a plurality of colors. The computing device is electrically connected to the scanning device and performs an image processing method including steps: receiving the original image generated by the scanning device; specifying a number of the plurality of layers; assigning each color of the original image to one of the plurality of layers; determining a height of each layer; and mapping the height of each layer to the original image based on each color contained by each layer to produce a height image.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an image processing method and ascanning system using the same, particularly to an image processingmethod and a scanning system using the same, which are able to generatea height image.

2. Description of the Prior Art

There are many methods to convert a planar image into a 3D image. Forexample, a parallax-based method processes a plurality of planar imagescorresponding to an identical object to generate a 3D image. While onlyhaving a planar image, the user is unlikely to generating a 3D imageusing the abovementioned method. In order to generate a height imageapproaching the original image, the conventional image processingmethods have to process multifarious information of pixels of theoriginal image, including the information of segments, boundaries,colors, brightness values, and eigenvalues of the images.

Thus, the conventional image processing methods are usually verycomplicated and need a complex computing system. Therefore, theconventional image processing methods are hard to perform in a slimcomputing device and a simple scanning system.

Accordingly, it is a target of the industry to develop an imageprocessing method and a scanning system using the same, which are ableto generate a height image.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an image processing method and a scanningsystem using the same, wherein a computing device is used to generate aplurality of layers respectively having different height valuesaccording to a plurality of colors of the original image and thengenerate a height image.

In one embodiment, the image processing method of the present inventioncomprises steps: a computing device receiving an original image;specifying a number of multiple layers; the computing device assigningone of the plurality of colors of the original image to one of themultiple layers; determining a height value of one of the multiplelayers; and the computing device mapping the height value of one of themultiple layers to the original image according to one of the pluralityof colors assigned to one of the multiple layers to generate a heightimage containing a coordinate value and the height value.

In another embodiment, the scanning system of the present inventioncomprises a scanning device and a computing device. The scanning devicescans an object to generate an original image, wherein the originalimage contains a plurality of colors. The computing device iselectrically connected with the scanning device and configured forreceiving the original image generated by the scanning device;specifying a number of multiple layers; assigning one of the pluralityof colors of the original image to one of the multiple, layers;determining a height value of one of the multiple layers; and mappingthe height value of one of the multiple layers to the original imageaccording to one of the plurality of colors assigned to one of themultiple layers to generate a height image containing a coordinate valueand the height values.

Below, embodiments are described in detail in cooperation with theattached drawing to make easily understood the objectives, technicalcontents, characteristics and accomplishments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of an image processing method according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an original image according toone embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a distribution curve of thenumbers of pixels with respect to different colors of an original imageaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing a plurality of layersaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically showing a fewer-color image accordingto one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 schematically shows a side view of a height image according toone embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 schematically shows a top view of a 3D image according to oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 schematically shows a central section of a 3D image according toone embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a diagram schematically showing a scanning system according toone embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will be described in detail with embodiments andattached drawings below. However, these embodiments are only toexemplify the present invention but not to limit the scope of thepresent invention. In addition to the embodiments described in thespecification, the present invention also applies to other embodiments.Further, any modification, variation, or substitution, which can beeasily made by the persons skilled in that art according to theembodiment of the present invention, is to be also included within thescope of the present invention, which is based on the claims statedbelow. Although many special details are provided herein to make thereaders more fully understand the present invention, the presentinvention can still be practiced under a condition that these specialdetails are partially or completely omitted. Besides, the elements orsteps, which are well known by the persons skilled in the art, are notdescribed herein lest the present invention be limited unnecessarily.Similar or identical elements are denoted with similar or identicalsymbols in the drawings. It should be noted: the drawings are only todepict the present invention schematically but not to show the realdimensions or quantities of the present invention. Besides, matterlessdetails are not necessarily depicted in the drawings to achieveconciseness of the drawings.

Refer to FIG. 1 for a flowchart of an image processing method accordingto one embodiment of the present invention. The image processing methodof the present invention comprises Steps S11-S17. In Step S11, input anoriginal image to a computing device, wherein the original imagecontains a plurality of colors. It should be explained herein: theoriginal image is a 2D colored image free of information of heightvalues. For example, the original image A contains 6 colors: A11, A12,A21, A22, A31 and A32, as shown in FIG. 2. In one embodiment, theoriginal image A is acquired through a camera or a scanning device. Inanother embodiment, the user inputs the original image A to thecomputing device. For example, the original image is apublicly-available 2D image downloaded from the Internet.

In Step S12, specify a number of a plurality of layers. In oneembodiment, the number of the layers is preset by the computing device,determined by the computing device according to the original image, orspecified/modified by the user. However, the present invention does notlimit the way of determining the number of the layers. Refer to FIG. 3.In one embodiment, according to the distribution curve of the numbers ofpixels with respect to different colors of the original image, thecomputing device uses the relative maximum values (the peaks) todetermine the number of the layers, wherein the distribution curve ofthe numbers of pixels with respect to different colors may be adistribution curve of the numbers of pixels with respect to color levelsor the distribution curve of the numbers of pixels with respect tochrominances. However, the present invention is not limited by theabovementioned embodiments. For example, t the distribution curve of thenumbers of pixels with respect to different colors in FIG. 3 has 6 peaksin the colors: C3, C5, C112, C116, C213 and C215. Therefore, thecomputing device automatically determines that the probable number oflayers is 6. However, the computing device can also preset the number oflayers to be a given value. Alternatively, the user can manually specifythe number of layers to be 3, i.e. Layers L1, L2 and L3, as shown inFIG. 3.

In Step S13, the computing device assigns each color of the originalimage to one of the plurality of layers. Refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. Inone embodiment, according to the distribution curve of the numbers ofpixels with respect to different colors, the computing device performs aK-means algorithm to assign all the colors of the original image to aplurality of clusters corresponding to the plurality of Layers L1, L2and L3. For an example, in the distribution curve of the numbers ofpixels with respect to different colors of FIG. 3, a plurality of colorsC0, C1, C2, C3, C4 and C5 in the left area is assigned to Layer L1; aplurality of colors C111, C112, C113 and C114 in the middle area isassigned to Layer L2; a plurality of colors C210, C211, C212 and C213 inthe right area is assigned to Layer L3. However, the present inventionis not limited by the example. In other words, in Step S13, thecomputing device correlates all the colors of the original image withthe plurality of Layers L1, L2 and L3, wherein a color is not allowed tobe assigned to a plurality of layers but can only be assigned to onelayer. However, the computing is allowed to modify the correlationbetween the colors and the layers according to the instruction of theuser. For example, Colors C0 and C1 are not automatically assigned toLayer L1 but are assigned to Layer L3 according to the instruction ofthe user, wherein a color is still only allowed to be assigned to onelayer.

In one embodiment, the computing device uses a tone separation method,such as the posterization method of Photoshop, to assign each color ofthe original image to one of a plurality of layers, whereby to establishthe correlation between colors and layers, wherein a color is notallowed to be assigned to a plurality of layers but can only be assignedto one layer. It is easily understood: the number of clusters must bethe third power of n, wherein n is a natural number. If n is equal to 2,each color component (R, G, B) has only two sub-components 0 and 255.Thus are acquired 8 cluster center points (0,0,0), (0,0,255), (0,255,0),(255,0,0), (0,255,255), (255,255,255), (255,0,255) and (255,255,0). If nis equal to 3, each color component (R, G, B) has 3 sub-components 0,85, and 255. Thus are acquired 27 cluster center points (0,0,0),(0,0,85), (0,0,255) . . . etc. The total cluster center points can beeasily worked out by persons skilled in the art and will not be allenumerated herein.

In one embodiment, the computing device uses a histogram pixelseparation method to assign each color of the original image to one of aplurality of layers, whereby to establish the correlation between colorsand layers, wherein a color is not allowed to be assigned to a pluralityof layers but can only be assigned to one layer. Suppose that the entireimage has 900 pixels and that the 900 pixels are to be divided into 3clusters. Thus, each cluster involves 900/3=300 pixels. Count thenumbers of the pixels with respect to histogram levels beginning from 0.While the total number of pixels has reached 300, these pixels areassigned to an identical cluster. Among the identical cluster, one ofthe histogram levels which has the greatest number of pixels is used asthe center point of the identical cluster. However, the presentinvention is not limited by the abovementioned embodiments or examples.The persons having ordinary knowledge should be able to makemodification or variation without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

In order to facilitate the user to determine whether to manuallymodify/specify the correlation between layers and colors, the conceptsof abstract layers and color clustering are converted into a concretefewer-color image to be viewed by the user. The details thereof aredescribed below.

In Step S14, the computing device maps the representative color of eachlayer to the original image according to each color of each layer togenerate a fewer-color image. In one embodiment, the representativecolor of each layer is selected from the colors that the layer containsby the computing device or the user. In another embodiment, a color,which is not contained by a layer, is selected as the representativecolor of the layer. However, the present invention is not limited by theabovementioned embodiments. Refer to FIG. 2, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. Theoriginal image A is a 2D image with 6 colors. Thus, the informationcarried by each pixel includes coordinate values and a color. Forexample, the coordinate values and color of a first pixel is expressedas (X1, Y1, C1); the coordinate values and color of a second pixel isexpressed as (X2, Y2, C2). The layer each color belongs to can belearned from the correlation between Layers L1, L2, L3 and the colors ofthe original image. For example, C1 belongs to Layer L1. Each layer hasa representative color only. For example, the representative color ofLayer L1 is C5. According to the abovementioned information, thecomputing device can work out that the coordinate values and therepresentative color of the first pixel of the fewer-color image AL is(X1, Y1, C5) and that the coordinate values and the representative colorof the second pixel of the fewer-color image AL is (X2, Y2, C5).Undertaking the abovementioned steps similarly, the computing devicemaps the representative colors of the layers to the original imageaccording to the correlation of the layers and the colors to obtain afewer-color image AL containing the information of the coordinate valuesand the representative colors of the pixels, as shown in FIG. 5.

It should be further explained: the original image A contains 6 colors:A11, A12, A21, A22, A31 and A32 (as shown in FIG. 2), and thefewer-color image AL is formed by the representative colors of LayersL1, L2 and L3 (as shown in FIG. 5). It is learned via comparing FIG. 2and FIG. 5: the colors A11 and A12 of the original image A are assignedto an identical Layer L1 in the fewer-color image AL and thus have thesame representative color C5. Similarly, the colors A21 and A22 of theoriginal image A are assigned to an identical Layer L2 in thefewer-color image AL and thus have the same representative color C112.The colors A31 and A32 of the original image A are assigned to anidentical Layer L3 in the fewer-color image AL and thus have the samerepresentative color C213. Thus, Step S14 processes the original image Acontaining a plurality of colors into the fewer-color image AL formed by3 representative colors C5, C112 and C213.

In Step S15, determine a height value of each layer, wherein the heightvalue is automatically generated by the computing device or manuallyspecified by the user. Normally, the human vision feels that the warmcolors (such as the color red and the color orange) are closer indistance and that the cool colors (such as the color blue and the colorpurple) are farther in distance. Moreover, the human vision feels thatthe object having higher brightness (higher chrominance) is closer indistance and that the object having lower brightness (low chrominance)is farther in distance. Therefore, chrominance or brightness can be usedas a reference to calculate height. In one embodiment, the computingdevice determines the height value of each layer according to thechrominance or brightness of the representative color of the layer,wherein the representative color is selected from the colors containedby the layer or specified by the user. Refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. ViaStep S13, Layer 1 contains a plurality of colors C0, C1, C2, C3, C4 andC5; Layer 2 contains a plurality of colors C111, C112, C113 and C114;Layer 3 contains a plurality of colors C210, C211, C212 and C213. Next,the computing device selects a representative color for each layer.Alternatively, the user specifies a representative color for each layer.For example, the representative color of Layer 1 is the color C5; therepresentative color of Layer 2 is the color C111; the representativecolor of Layer 3 is the color C213. Next, the height valuescorresponding to the representative colors are worked out according tothe relationship between the representative colors and the visualheights. The abovementioned relationship may be but is not limited to bea linear equation or a quadratic equation. Thereby is generated aplurality of height values H1, H2 and H3 corresponding to the pluralityof Layers L1, L2 and L3, as shown in FIG. 4.

However, the present invention is not limited by the abovementionedsteps. In one embodiment, the user can also customize the height imagevia giving instructions to the computing device to manually specify theheight value of each layer. Therefore, Step S14 of generating afewer-color image can be omitted in some embodiments, and the computingdevice or the user can still determine the height value of each layer(Step S15). However, the present invention is not limited by theabovementioned embodiments or examples. The persons having ordinaryknowledge should be able to make modification or variation withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

Refer to FIG. 6. In Step S16, the computing device maps the height valueof each layer to the original image according to each color contained byeach layer to generate a height image. The original image is a 2D imagecontaining a plurality of colors. Thus, the image information of eachpixel of the original image includes coordinate values and a color. Forexample, the coordinate values and color of a first pixel is expressedas (X1, Y1, C1). Further, which layer each color belongs to can belearned according to the correlation between all the colors and theplurality of Layers L1, L2 and L3. For example, C1 belongs to Layer L1.Besides, a layer has only a height value. For example, Layer 1 has aheight value of H1. Thereby, the computing device can work out thecoordinate values and height value of the first pixel (X1, Y1, H1).Similarly, according to the correlation between layers and colors, thecomputing device maps the height values of the layers to the originalimage to generate a height image containing height values, as shown inFIG. 5. In one embodiment, the colors of the original image are notpresented on the height image. In other words, the height image has notyet carried the information of colors but only contains coordinatevalues and height values in this case. It is easily understood: theheight image can also carry the colors of the original image. In otherwords, each pixel of the height image includes a color value and aheight value.

However, the height differences of the plurality of layers will generatea sawtooth-like contour while observed from the side view of the heightimage in FIG. 5. Such a situation may need modification in someapplications. For example, while the user inputs the height image into a3D printer to output a wallpaper having height differences, sharp edgesof the sawtooth-like contours may appear on the surface of the wallpaperand result in poor tactile feeling. In Step S17, the computing devicesmooths the adjacent layers, wherein the heights of the adjacent layersare gradually varied to smooth the layers along the height direction,whereby is generated a smooth height image, which will improve thequality of products in the application of 3D printing. It is easilyunderstood: Step S17 is an optional step, and the user may adopt orabandon the step according to requirement. The present invention is notlimited by the abovementioned embodiments or examples.

Refer to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. In one embodiment, in order to provide a 3Dcolored image for the user, the computing device generates a 3D image ASaccording to the height image. For example, the computing device mapsthe coordinate values and color values of the pixels of the originalimage to the coordinate values and height values of the pixels of theheight image to generate a 3D image AS. As each pixel of the 3D image AScontains the information of the coordinate values, height value andcolor value, a plurality of colors A11, A12, A21, A22, A31 and A32 hasbeen presented on the 3D image AS, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8.

It should be further explained herein: the abovementioned steps are notnecessarily undertaken in the sequence of describing them or thesequence of labeling them but can be undertaken in a different sequence.For example, Step S12 in FIG. 1 can be undertaken before Step S11; StepS14 can be undertaken after Step S16. However, the present invention isnot limited by the abovementioned embodiments or examples. The personshaving ordinary knowledge should be able to make modification orvariation without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Refer to FIG. 2 and FIG. 9. Below is described a scanning systemcomprising a scanning device 10 and a computing device 20 according toone embodiment of the present invention. The scanning device 10 scans anobject B to generate an original image A, wherein the original image Acontains a plurality of colors. In one embodiment, the object B has aplanar surface or a 3D surface having height differences. However, thepresent invention does not particularly limit the state of the surfaceof the object B. The technical contents and embodiments of processingthe original image has been described hereinbefore and will not repeatherein.

The scanning device 10 includes a light-emitting unit 11, an imagecapture unit 12, a driving unit 13, a control unit 14 and a platform 15.The light-emitting unit 11 generates an illuminating light L toilluminate the surface of the object B. In one embodiment, the imagecapture unit 12 and the object B are disposed on an identical side ofthe platform 15, whereby to realize a reflective-type scanning device.In one embodiment, the image capture unit 12 and the object B aredisposed on opposite sides of the platform 15, whereby to realize atransmission-type scanning device. In one embodiment, the image captureunit 12 is a linear-type photosensor or a surface-type photosensor. Inone embodiment, the image capture unit 12 includes a charge-coupleddevice (CCD) or a contact image sensor (CIS). However, the presentinvention is not limited by the abovementioned embodiments. The drivingunit 13 drives the image capture unit 12 and the object B to undertakerelative movement, whereby to scan the object B. In one embodiment, thedriving unit 13 is coupled to the image capture unit 12 and drives theimage capture unit 12 to scan the object B. In one embodiment, thedriving unit includes a linkage assembly (not shown in the drawings)coupled to the image capture unit 12. In one embodiment, thelight-emitting unit 11 is coupled to the driving unit 13 through thelinkage assembly and synchronously operates with the image capture unit12 to scan the object B. The control unit 14 is electrically connectedwith the image capture unit 12 and controls the image capture unit 12 togenerate the original image A. However, the present invention is notlimited by the abovementioned embodiments or examples. The personshaving ordinary knowledge should be able to make modification orvariation without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The computing device 20 is electrically connected with the scanningdevice 10 and undertakes an image processing method. The imageprocessing method comprises steps: receiving an original image Agenerated by the scanning device 10; specifying a number of a pluralityof layers; assigning each color of the original image A to one of theplurality of layers; determining a height value of each layer; andmapping the height value of each layer to the original image A accordingto each color contained by each layer to generate a height image. Thedetails and embodiments of the imaging processing method have beendescribed hereinbefore and will not repeat herein.

In one embodiment, the computing device 20 includes a processing unit 21and a display unit 22. The processing unit 21 is electrically connectedwith the control device 14 of the scanning device 10 and receives theoriginal image A generated by the scanning device 10. In one embodiment,the processing unit 21 includes a central processing unit (CPU), anapplication specific processor (ASP), an application specific integratedcircuit (ASIC), or a microcontroller unit (MCU). However, the presentinvention is not limited by the abovementioned embodiments or examples.The processing unit 21 can execute the abovementioned image processingmethod, such as the image processing method shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 6.

The display unit 22 is electrically connected with the processing unit21 and able to present the original image shown in FIG. 2, thedistribution curve of the numbers of pixels with respect to differentcolors shown in FIG. 3, the height image shown in FIG. 5, thefewer-color image AL shown in FIG. 7 and the 3D image AS shown in FIG.8. The technologies related with the images and distribution curves havebeen described hereinbefore and will not repeat herein. In oneembodiment, the display unit includes a cathode ray tube, alight-emitting diode display device, a crystal liquid display device, ora touch control screen. It should be noted: the scanning device and thecomputing device can be combined into an integral body. In oneembodiment, the scanning unit 21 itself possesses a processing unit 21and a display unit 22. However, the present invention is not limited bythe abovementioned embodiments or examples.

It is easily understood: the high-definition height image generated bythe conventional image processing methods may be unable to be used insome applications, such as the application of using a 3D printer tooutput a relief wallpaper (wallpaper having height differences), i.e.the application of using a 3D printer to output a physical object havingheight differences. In such a case, what the user needs is not theconventional image processing method that generates high-definitionheight images but an image processing method and a scanning system usingthe same wherein the height values can be simplified/specified accordingto the requirement of the user.

In one embodiment, the scanning system of the present inventioncomprises a scanning device 10, a computing device 20 and a 3D printer(not shown in the drawings). The 3D printer is electrically connectedwith the computing device 20 and outputs a physical object having heightdifferences according to a height image or a 3D image. In oneembodiment, the 3D printer is a squeeze printer, a powder-based inkjet3D printer, a deposition 3D printer, or a light-cured resin 3D printer(such as a UV-cured resin 3D printer). However, the present invention isnot limited by the abovementioned embodiments or examples.

In conclusion, the present invention proposes an image processing methodand a scanning system using the same, wherein a computing devicegenerates a plurality of layers respectively having different heightvalues according to a plurality of colors of an original image, wherebyto generate a height image. The present invention can generate a heightimage, merely using the colors of the original image, exempted fromprocessing additional complicated and multifarious image information.The present invention can further enable the user to specify/modify theheight values of a height image, whereby to provide more flexible andpracticable solutions of image processing for the user.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image processing method comprising steps: acomputing device receiving an original image including a plurality ofcolors; specifying a number of multiple layers; the computing deviceassigning one of the plurality of colors of the original image to one ofthe multiple layers; determining a height value of one of the multiplelayers; and the computing device mapping the height value of one of themultiple layers to the original image according to one of the pluralityof colors assigned to one of the multiple layers to generate a heightimage containing a coordinate value and the height value.
 2. The imageprocessing method according to claim 1, wherein the number of themultiple layers is generated by the computing device automatically. 3.The image processing method according to claim 1, wherein the number ofthe multiple layers is specified by the user.
 4. The image processingmethod according to claim 1, wherein the computing device assigns one ofthe plurality of colors of the original image to one of the multiplelayers according to a K-means algorithm, a tone separation method, or ahistogram pixel separation method.
 5. The image processing methodaccording to claim 1 further comprising a step of the computing devicesmoothing the multiple layers having neighboring height values.
 6. Theimage processing method according to claim 1 further comprising a stepof the computing device mapping a representative color of one of themultiple layers to the original image according to one of the pluralityof colors assigned to one of the multiple layers to generate afewer-color image, wherein the representative color is selected from thecolors contained by the layer or specified by the user.
 7. The imageprocessing method according to claim 1, wherein the computing devicedetermines the height value of one of the multiple layers according to achrominance or brightness of a representative color of the layer, andwherein the representative color is selected from the colors containedby the layer or specified by the user.
 8. The image processing methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the height value of one of the multiplelayers is specified by the user.
 9. The image processing methodaccording to claim 1 further comprising a step of the computing devicegenerating a 3D image according to the height image.
 10. A scanningsystem comprising: a scanning device, scanning an object to generate anoriginal image, wherein the original image includes a plurality ofcolors; and a computing device, electrically connected with the scanningdevice and configured for receiving the original image generated by thescanning device; specifying a number of multiple layers; assigning oneof the plurality of colors of the original image to one of the multiplelayers; determining a height value of one of the multiple layers; andmapping the height value of one of the multiple layers to the originalimage according to one of the plurality of colors assigned to one of themultiple layers to generate a height image containing a coordinate valueand the height value.
 11. The scanning system according to claim 10,wherein the number of the multiple layers is generated by the computingdevice automatically.
 12. The scanning system according to claim 10,wherein the number of the multiple layers is specified by the user. 13.The scanning system according to claim 10, wherein the computing deviceincludes a processing unit, which assigns one of the plurality of colorsof the original image to one of the multiple layers according to aK-means algorithm, a tone separation method, or a histogram pixelseparation method.
 14. The scanning system according to claim 10,wherein the computing device includes a processing unit, which smoothsthe multiple layers having neighboring height values.
 15. The scanningsystem according to claim 10, wherein the computing device includes aprocessing unit, which maps a representative color of one of themultiple layers to the original image according to one of the pluralityof colors assigned to one of the multiple layers to generate afewer-color image, wherein the representative color is selected from thecolors contained by the layer or specified by the user.
 16. The scanningsystem according to claim 10, wherein the computing device includes aprocessing unit, which determines the height value of one of themultiple layers according to a chrominance or brightness of arepresentative color of the layer, and wherein the representative coloris selected from the colors contained by the layer or specified by theuser.
 17. The scanning system according to claim 10, wherein the heightvalue of one of the multiple layers is specified by the user.
 18. Thescanning system according to claim 10, wherein the computing deviceincludes a processing unit, which generates a 3D image according to theheight image.
 19. The scanning system according to claim 10 furthercomprising a 3D printer, which is electrically connected with thecomputing device and generates a physical object having heightdifferences according to the height image.